C11 Flowers bloom and wilt, never to be seen again.

"Do I have to wash my face with dew every day? What should I collect then?"

"That's right. The dew you used to wash your face in the morning includes dew, flower petals, clear spring water, goat milk..."

"Stop, stop, stop. Don't say anymore. I have a great tonic water now! No wonder my face feels so smooth!" Chu Linglang touched her face as she spoke.

"Then what are we waiting for? Hurry up and wash up. We finished the dinner last night. I'm hungry!"

"Yes, Empress Dowager." Chunhe said playfully.

After washing up, Chu Linglang felt very comfortable, but she also thought that if Chunhe had slept last night, she would be around her age. She couldn't bear to see her working so hard every day.

"That, in the future, I can sleep early or late. As long as you and Yulan are tired, you can go to sleep. You don't have to pick up dew in the morning and pick up flower petals. You can sleep for a while longer."

"That won't do. Empress Dowager, you have to maintain your beauty. You are the image of the harem. Moreover, the Empress Dowager has always done everything to maintain her appearance. This water is passed down from generation to generation."

"Damn it." Chu Linglang wanted to curse, but when she saw the dark circles on Chunhe's face, she let out a sigh of relief. "Those Empress Dowager are already so old. How old am I? I'm still a natural beauty! If you want me to maintain my appearance, wait until I'm twenty-five! There's no need now."

Seeing the stubborn look on the empress dowager's face, Chunhe did not say anything else.

"Oh, right, where did Yulan go? Why didn't I see her?"

"Yulan went to prepare lunch for you. Seeing that you were sleeping soundly, we took the liberty to make the decision and didn't ask you what you wanted to eat."

"Yes, I can eat anything. Just don't make too much."

"I want a serving of white chicken. You said you wanted me to eat the chicken legs." Chunhe pouted and said.

As she spoke, Yulan followed the kitchen maid into the room. Looking at Chu Linglang who had already washed up, she smiled and said, "It seems that the empress dowager is preparing to eat. The food was served early, so it was better to eat it earlier."

"Empress Dowager, have a bowl of milk pigeon soup to warm your stomach first." Yulan said with concern.

"Leave me a chicken leg." Chunhe said anxiously.

"Leave what? Come and eat with me."

Yulan and Chunhe said in unison, "That's not appropriate." Yulan then said, "Since ancient times, the superior and inferior have always been in order. I am a servant, so how can I eat with the master?"

Usually, Chu Linglang could not eat that much, so she gave the rest to them. The kitchen maid also had different levels of food. Chunhe and Yulan's food was actually not bad, but they both ate the lowest level. They exchanged their food with the other kitchen maids and exchanged it for silver.

Yulan's family was poor. When she was young, she lived with her grandmother and uncle. Only her grandmother treated her well. Her uncle and aunt sold her to the palace, and her grandmother cried because of it. Her aunt treated her grandmother very badly, and her uncle was filial, but he was afraid of his wife, so he turned a blind eye. After her brother was born, she became even more lawless, and her uncle simply ignored her. Luckily, Yulan was a good girl. She worked hard in the palace and was very intelligent. She was able to become the empress dowager's personal maid at such a young age. Now that she was home, her uncle and aunt treated her like she was their daughter. She gave them her monthly allowance, only asking them to treat her grandmother better.

Chunhe was a lot happier. She had a happy family. She had parents who loved her and a father. Although her life was not very rich, it was not a problem for her to eat and sleep well. But why did she save money? Naturally, she helped Yulan. The two of them were maid of honour who entered the palace together. On the first day of entering the palace, a new maid of honour bullied Yulan. Chunhe stepped forward. Afterwards, she was assigned to work in another palace. Chunhe was impulsive and always did things wrong. Yulan was calm and cautious, so she helped her resolve some of the dangers. In the end, Chunhe, who was free and easygoing, suggested that the two of them should become sworn brothers. From then on, they could enjoy life together and help each other when they were in trouble. In just five years, she had risen to the empress dowager's bedroom. It could be said that the maid of honour had made a comeback. Chunhe was influenced by Yulan, so she became thrifty. She ate the same food as Yulan and saved up some for Yulan. She also saved up some for herself.

As for how Chu Linglang knew about this, she naturally had the heart to investigate their backgrounds. She also inquired about it from others. It was not that she did not believe them, but that she had to understand them better.

"There's no need to talk so much nonsense. It will taste better if we eat together. In the future, as long as there's no one else, you two will eat with me. Do you hear me? Why aren't you moving? Do you want me to treat you two?"

Yulan and Chunhe sat down awkwardly and bought bowls and chopsticks.

"Come, you two each get a chicken leg." As she spoke, Chu Linglang gave one to each of them.

At first, she was still restrained, but later, she was completely free to eat. "It's too delicious, it's really too delicious!"

After dinner, Chu Linglang was lost in thought as she looked at the flowers. Yulan walked to her side and asked, "Your Highness, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing, I'm just thinking that these flowers are so beautiful. How many people appreciate the flowers blooming and falling? Have you been out of the palace for so many years?"

Yulan shook her head and said, "Then every time I go home..."

"The palace only has a visitation holiday every half a year. There are only three days. Only those who are not far away like me dare to go back. The journey is also about two days. If I stay at home for another day, I won't have time. That's why I've never counted it out." Yulan said in a desolate tone.

"Let's go. Bring Chunhe and take the kite. Let's go to the imperial garden to play kites!" Chu Linglang said excitedly.

"Your Highness, your kite is not as high as mine!" Chunhe said proudly.

"Who said that? I am giving in to you. Let's see what you can do!" After saying that, Chu Linglang ran away. "See, my kite is higher than yours!" Chu Linglang shouted excitedly.

"Here, it's yours. You can play with it! I'm not playing anymore!" Chunhe pouted and handed the kite to Yulan.

"Eh? Why aren't you playing anymore?" Chu Linglang did not catch the string for a while and the kite flew away. Chu Linglang looked at the kite and Chunhe as she said, "It's all your fault. Look at the kite flying away!"

In an instant, a black shadow jumped up. Chu Linglang opened her mouth wide and was stunned there. Feng Xuan snapped his fingers and waved his finger in front of Chu Linglang's eyes. "Your mother, what are you looking at? Here, your kite!"

Chu Linglang recovered and looked at Feng Xuan in a daze, "Was that black figure just now you? How did you do it so quickly?"

Feng Xuan laughed, "My mother is old and has become dizzy. It's just a normal Lightness Skill."

"Damn it, you actually said that I am old and have become dizzy. I think you are asking for a beating." Chu Linglang raised her voice and shouted.

Feng Xuan saw her clawing and baring her teeth and laughed heartily, "My mother is not old. I was wrong. I was wrong."

"That's more like it." Chu Linglang rolled her eyes.

"But mother, your son will need to participate in the coronation ceremony. You need to prepare in advance. Your son still has matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first."

"What am I going to prepare?" Before Chu Linglang could finish her question, Feng Xuan left her there to watch his back.

"Damn it, I haven't finished speaking yet." Chu Linglang stomped her feet in exasperation.

She turned to look at Chunhe and said, "This son of mine is too impolite. I, as the mother, need to discipline him well. Did you not pay your respects to the emperor? You are also impolite. I will punish you to wash all of my bathing tubs clean."

Yulan and Chunhe were instantly speechless. "Yes, Esteemed Empress Dowager, are we still kicking kites?"

"What are we kicking kites for? Return to the imperial palace." After saying that, she quickly walked away.

The group of people followed behind her. Chunhe stuck her tongue out at Yulan and whispered, "The emperor has angered her. He wants to vent his anger on us."

Chu Linglang turned around and gave Chunhe a fright. She thought that she had heard her words? "What did the Emperor say? The coronation? He didn't ascend the throne, so what is he going to do?"

"Empress Dowager, the Emperor is only enthroned, not the coronation! It was during the national mourning period, so the Emperor would not hold any ceremony. The hundred days have passed, so he naturally has to hold a ceremony. Firstly, this is the tradition of the previous emperors to ascend the throne. Secondly, he wants to announce to the world that he is the new emperor."

"Oh, I've been in the palace for so long, that's not right! What does she want me to do when she ascends the throne?"

"Empress Dowager, you are the mother of the Emperor, and you also just married the old Emperor, but you meet the national mourning period. The people don't know about your existence! The first reason is that you are the mother of the Emperor, and the second reason is that you have to take charge of the Phoenix Seal before the Emperor sets up a new empress."

"What do you mean by the first and second reasons? It's too long-winded. Isn't it troublesome to take charge of the Phoenix Seal?"

Yulan nodded her head. "Taking charge of the Phoenix Seal means that you have to take charge of the entire harem. Now, only I can accompany you. When the time comes, you still need female officials to be by your side."

Chu Linglang wanted to take charge of the entire harem, but that was not particularly satisfying. In the past, the storyteller had described the harem as a magical place. After that, wouldn't all the women listen to me? Thinking of this, Chu Linglang laughed out loud.

Eh, that's not right. Where is that woman?

When they returned to the bedroom, Yu Lan and Chunhe began to scrub the bath tub. The empress could be said to be a person who would do what she said. Chu Linglang was thinking about how to give Miss Muguo to Feng Xuan.

"Yulan, do you think there are any other procedures for choosing the empress in the palace?"

"Of course, the empress' succession in the palace is very strict. Think about it! Not to mention the empress, even the servants are selected from the layers."

"Oh? How did you select them?"

"I remember that we have three tests. First, the female officials will check our family background, such as whether we are sinners or the daughter of a lowly official. Second, we will check our appearance, height, and whether there are any physical defects or infectious diseases. Third, the female workers will test our eloquence and adaptability. Only after passing these three tests can we enter the palace."

"What's the use of having such high requirements for you? I really don't know what they are thinking. This person actually has three grades? And if he is a sinner, what does it have to do with their children?" Chu Linglang said angrily.

"Empress Dowager, you might not know this, but the descendants of sinners will become lowly slaves. This level will continue to be passed down.